


Treasure: An Ateez Pirate/Treasure Hunter Series

by kesmonsterwrites



Category: ATEEZ (Band), other KQ artists
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Fighting, Gen, Mentions of Blood, Mentions of Injuries, Minor Character Death, Multi, Pirates, Running Away, Treasure Hunter AU, Treasure Hunting, ambush attack, asshole captain, fight ring, kidnap/slavery, mentions of abuse, mentions of discrimination, mentions of illegal activities, passing out from exhaustion
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:22:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26199262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kesmonsterwrites/pseuds/kesmonsterwrites
Summary: This group os pirates/treasure hunters is ready for adventure - will you join them?This is a request series!I'll be doing a chapter for each member, and I have plans for how they'll meet their significant others... but requests are open for other scenarios involving these characters!I hope you enjoy this series!
Relationships: Choi Jongho/Reader, Choi San/Reader, Jeong Yunho/Reader, Jung Wooyoung/Reader, Kang Yeosang/Reader, Kim Hongjoong/Reader, Park Seonghwa/Reader, Song Mingi/Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 3





	1. Hongjoong's Crew

**Author's Note:**

> Here is Hongjoong's part - hope you enjoy!

Hongjoong stared out over the side of the ship, looking at the horizon where his home was, watching as it slowly disappeared among the waves of the ocean. He was sad to be leaving his family and his best friend Seonghwa behind, but he was doing this for a reason. He was doing this to help and support his family. Their general store had taken a hit recently, and with no jobs available in town, Hongjoong had to find some way to help out. So when a group of treasure hunters sailed into Satren’s port, he knew this was his chance. If he could travel with this crew, maybe find some treasure and sell it, he’d have the money for his family. So he jumped at the chance to be a part of the crew. He couldn’t wait to see what adventure lay ahead of him.

He was not expecting this. Not at all.

As it turned out, the treasure hunters were not treasure hunters; they were pirates and thieves, stealing from everyone for their own gain. Ridley, his captain, had outright lied to him. And Hongjoong hated being lied to. He especially hated it when it led to their ship being chased by a rival pirate crew, one that was very much angry at the gold and valuables Hongjoong had been forced to steal from their ship. Sometimes, being small and sneaky was not a good thing.

And this wasn’t the first time Ridley had lied - his captain had told him they would be going back to Satren soon… but that had been months ago. Hongjoong had gotten rather good at navigation, and knew that they were actually near the ports of Askia, Eskes, and Demni - close to home, but not close enough for his liking. Hongjoong had also discovered that any profits he made from the valuables he found and turned in to Ridley were only a fraction of what he had earned because Ridley stole most of the money to keep for himself. He needed to get out of here. He had a find a way to escape… and make it out of this sea battle alive.

The enemy pirates were gaining on the ship, and everyone in the crew was on deck, ready to defend the ship, including Ridley. Hongjoong saw his opportunity and, using his small stature, slipped below deck and into the captain’s quarters. After a quick search, he found the coin purse that was nearly overflowing with gold and silver pieces. Shaking his head at his own actions and in disgust with his captain, Hongjoong began swiping coins from the bag, adding them to the pouch that was tied at his waist. Now he needed an escape plan…

Even through the chaos of the battle, Hongjoong had managed to slip a small dingy off of the ship and into the water, slipping away without bringing any attention to himself. His bag of provisions sat between his feet as he slowly rowed towards the direction of Estonvale, towards the three nearest ports. If he could make it to shore, he could find passage on a ship, or find a horse that he could use to get back home. He just needed to get to shore. He was happy that he has learned how to navigate while aboard Ridley’s ship. He just needed to make it to shore...he had to make it.

After a full day of rowing with hardly any breaks, he could finally see the shoreline. Bolstered by the sight, Hongjoong pushed himself even further, making it to the shore in a state of exhaustion. He grabbed his bag, dragging himself up the shore and up to the closest building, which he was thankful was a tavern. He stumbled through the door, looking around to find someone, anyone that looked to be in charge… but before he could move, his exhaustion took over him and he passed out on the floor. 

When Hongjoong wakes up, he finds himself in a small bed - something he hadn’t experienced during his time at sea. Opening his eyes, he sees a tall man standing in the doorway. “Ahh, you’re awake! The doctor just left, but he said you just needed some food, water, and rest.” The man placed a small tray in front of him, a large jug of water and a simple porridge on it. “I figured something plain would be easiest. I’m Maddox, by the way - the owner of the tavern you passed out in.” Hongjoong makes his way to sit up, but Maddox waves him off. “It’s no worries, I’d rather you rest than overdo it. I’ll come in and check on you later, you just rest in here.” And with that, the man leaves. Hongjoong was shocked at the man’s kindness - he couldn’t quite believe what was happening. But he wasn’t going to question it. He carefully sat up, making sure not to knock over his water, and picked up his spoon.

When Hongjoong was finally well enough, he made his way to the main dining room of the tavern, looking for Maddox. He found him behind the bar, serving the customers in front of him. “There’s the little traveler! How are you feeling?” Hongjoong nodded, giving him a thumbs-up before looking around. “You can stay, young man, you still need rest. We’ll talk when things have settled down, hmm?” He gestured to a stool at the end of the bar, and Hongjoong sat down, his eyes darting around the room. No one paid him any mind, continuing their conversations, eating and drinking. Soon enough, the tavern began to empty out, and Maddox came down to the end of the bar, standing across from Hongjoong. “So, what’s your name, traveler?”

Hongjoong cleared his throat before answering. “Hongjoong.”

“Okay Hongjoong, and where are you from?”

Hongjoong didn’t want to be judged, or potentially arrested, for having run around with a pirate crew, so he stretched the truth. “I’m originally from Satren.”

“Now that’s a ways away from here…” Hongjoong nods, unsure of how to respond. “And if you were looking to head back, it might take a bit. It’s storm season up that way, so no ships are traveling up north… and no horses or carriages are being sent that way either.” Hongjoong knew about the storms - strong winds and heavy rain made for dangerous travelling conditions, making no one want to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary. “Are you looking to head back up north?” Again Hongjoong nods. “Well… I’m assuming you’ll need a place to stay while you wait for the storms to clear up… I’ll tell you what. You can stay here in the tavern, but you’ll have to work here with me in exchange. Sound fair?”  
Hongjoong things, slowly nodding his head. “That… that sounds fair.”

Maddox chuckles, grabbing a cleaning rag and placing it over Hongjoong’s shoulder. “Good. Now, let me show you how we do things.”

Hongjoong spends several months working with Maddox and living in the tavern, saving up the tips he’s earned to help him pay for passage back home. He even picked up another job, working at the docks to help load merchants ships in his free time. While there, he saw all of the ships on the water, and longed to have one of his own. While he hadn’t liked being with the pirate crew at all, he had loved being out on the water, learning how to navigate and sail, and all of the other things that go into sailing a large ship. If he wants his own ship, and a crew to help sail it, he’s going to need more money… Almost forgetting about his plans to go home, Hongjoong gets another job working as a trader and a clerk in a general store - a job that brings in more wages and allows him to meet a lot of different people. Some of the merchants and traders tell him stories of their travels, how they sail off to other islands and kingdoms to hunt for treasure and valuables, their battles at sea with pirates who try to steal their things, and the amazing people they meet and cultures they learn about. Hongjoong is absolutely fascinated; he wants that same adventurous lifestyle - he wants to explore and travel, learn new things and find different treasures. But he needs a ship…

Lucky for him, one of the merchants, Eden, was looking to sell his ship. He wanted to step back from the sea, have a calm, simple life on shore, and after speaking with Hongjoong, Eden found the young man responsible and kind - he would treat his ship and his crew well and fair.  
At the end of the month, when the storm season in Satren was finally over, Hongjoong and his new crew boarded their ship, waving to Eden and Maddox on the docks

“Have fun young traveler!” Maddox shouts after them as the ship begins to pull away, Hongjoong giving the men one last wave before turning towards the front of the ship, ready to navigate his crew towards home.


	2. Seonghwa's Journey

When he was young, Seonghwa had always had this air of innocence and positivity around him. He was very open, very trusting, and made friends easily. Which is why he and Hongjoong got along so well. The two boys would often find themselves running through the streets of Satren, trying to stay out of trouble (it was really Seognhwa’s job to try and keep Hongjoong out of trouble).

When they got older the boys worked together to help Hongjoong’s family at their family general store. The boys would work together to help keep everything stocked and clean while Hongjoong’s parents dealt with customers. Everyone always said the two boys were what helped the store run so smoothly…

And then, the store wasn’t running smoothly. People started going to another store in town, and Hongjoong’s parents were stressed, trying to make ends meet. Seonghwa didn’t know what to do… he didn’t have a job of his own, and when he wasn’t with Hongjoong, he was helping his own family, selling their goods in the market. There wasn’t much the boy could do, and it broke his heart.

So when Hongjoong decides to leave with a treasure hunter crew that had come into port, Seonghwa was conflicted. On the one hand, he knew that traveling with treasure hunters could be a really good opportunity - the profits from turning in and selling these treasures were usually split among the crew, and that kind of money could go a long way. But on the other hand… Seonghwa didn’t trust them. Which caused an argument the first time Hongjoong suggested he wanted to travel with the crew.

“What do you mean you don’t trust them?”

“Joong, they give me a weird feeling… they don’t feel trustworthy at all.”

“Are you sure it’s just because you don’t want me to leave you?” Hongjoong reaches up, pinching Seonghwa’s cheek lightly.

“No, that’s not it~”

But Seonghwa knew he needed to let Hongjoong go and do his own thing, figure things out on his own… so when his friend told him he was going to sea, he let him go with a hug and well wishes. As he watched the ship leave, he had a sinking feeling in his gut. He hoped nothing would happen to his best friend…

Seonghwa does his best to help both his family and Hongjoong’s while his friend is away. He does everything he can to work hard and be helpful to everyone. His innocence and positivity slowly shifts to an air of seriousness and drive, becoming more skeptical in his judgments of those around him. He became dedicated to his family, only working to help them and Hongjoong’s family, and not doing things that young adults his age would normally do - no playing around and joking with his friends. No, he had to help keep the people his friend loved alive and well while he was gone. He had to do it for Hongjoong.

The storms that year were brutal - Hongjoong’s family store had taken a bit of damage, being so close to the port. Seonghwa had spent the day cleaning up the mess and repairing the breaks in the walls and the roof. When he finished affixing the last shingle, he sat up, looking out over the water. A ship catches his eye - especially the flag on it. It looked familiar, and he couldn’t place it at first until it finally hit him. That was a design that Hongjoong had constantly sketched out as a child, defining and perfecting as he got older. It was Hongjoong’s hourglass. It was Hongjoong.

As Seonghwa climbed down from the roof and ran to the pier, a million thoughts ran through his head. Why was Hongjoong back, and on a different ship? Why was the ship sailing flags with his design? Was Hongjoong a captain now? What had happened to his friend?

He stood on the wooden pier, watching the ship sail in, the crew working to steer the ship in gently and smoothly. Seonghwa scanned the deck until he saw someone stepping up to the gangplank that the pier workers had set up against the ship. His best friend was here - Hongjoong was back. He stayed where he was, watching as Hongjoong lead some of the crew members down the gangplank and onto the pier, looking around him. His eyes landed on Seonghwa, growing wide and excited at the sight of his childhood friend. Seonghwa watched as Hongjoong began to run at him, opening his arms in time for Hongjoong to fly into them. 

“Seonghwa!” Just Hongjoong saying his name made the taller boy wrap his arms around his friend tightly, hugging him close.   
“Hongjoong, you’re back.”

Hongjoong went to make sure that his crew was settled in at the local inn before walking with Seonghwa to see his parents. His parents cried when they saw their son, hugging him tightly as if he would disappear before their eyes. They spent the rest of the night catching up, Seonghwa leaving them be with the promise that he would see Hongjoong the next morning. And he did - Hongjoong had come to Seonghwa’s house to get him first thing in the morning.

The boys had gone to their favorite spot as kids - a small beach that was surrounded by large rocks on one side, shielding them from view of Satren behind them.

"So… how was life at sea?”

"Hwa… you were right about that crew I left with… they weren’t good people at all.” Hongjoong told him all about his old crews’ misdeeds, and how he’d escaped without notice, how he’d worked in a tavern and ended up saving enough money to purchase the ship from someone who had wanted to sell it, how he’d gathered this crew and traveled all the way here. 

“I never thought I’d see you as a Captain.” The boys laughed together, enjoying being back in eachothers presence again.

“You know, being back home has got me thinking…” Hongjoong looked at him, watching him carefully for his reaction. “I was thinking that maybe… maybe you could come with me?”

Seonghwa is shocked. He’s never been on the water before. Never left their home. And Hongjoong wanted to travel the seas with him. “Me? Why?”

“Because you’re my best friend. And I couldn’t imagine traveling with anyone else. And you were right about my first crew… you have good intuition, and I wouldn’t trust anyone else nearly as much by my side.”

Seonghwa considered his friend’s offer, but he already knew in his heart what he’d be doing. He knew his parents would miss him, but he also knew that he would regret it if he didn’t go with Hongjoong. 

“Okay Captain. I’ll go with you.”

“Good choice Deputy.”

And they can’t help but laugh excitedly - they were ready to embark on this adventure together.


	3. San's Assistance

San had always wanted to help people. He always had this call to serve others, to help them in any way he can. Growing up, he had a knack for helping people when injured. When his father had sprained his ankle, San was the one to stabilize it as best he could until the doctor came (the doctor told him it had been a job well done). And when his sister had cut her hand on a knife while cooking, San was the one to clean and bandage it. And when his mother fell ill during the winter, San was by her side, nursing her back to health. Taking care of the injured and sick was something he enjoyed, something that spoke to him.

So when the doctor in the nearby port city of Demni was looking for an apprentice, San knew he had to try. With his family’s blessing, San and his father traveled to Demni, speaking with the doctor about his experience with medicine and San’s interest in the field. The man could see San’s passion and drive to help others, and immediately took him on. San worked hard every day, learning all he could, reading the medical books the Doctor had, and asking the man all of the questions he could think of.

The doctor in Demni was already an older man when San came to learn from him, and after several years of San learning alongside the doctor, San soon took the man’s practice on for himself, helping the port town residents and all of the visitors. One day, a young girl by the name of Yuna ran into his office, which was near the middle of town.

“San! Doctor San! A man passed out in Maddox’s tavern - we need help!” Without answering, San immediately rises from his seat, grabbing his medical bag and rushing out the door after Yuna. He steps into the tavern behind Yuna, following as she leads him to a room near the back of the first floor. Maddox is there, standing near the bed where a man who appears to be   
San’s age lays there. He looked thinner than he should have been, but relatively healthy otherwise.

“What happened?”

Maddox looked up at his words. “Oh thank god… he dragged himself into the doorway, then passed out before we could even ask him his name. We just wanted to make sure he’s okay…”

San smiles at the concerned man, stepping forward and setting down his bag. “Then let me take a look - he’s in good hands.”

“Thank you San, I’ll be right outside if you need me.” And with a gesture to Yuna to lead her outside, the two leave the room, leaving San and the young man on the bed. HE does a quick examination, finding nothing wrong with the boy other than a lack of food, water, and pure exhaustion. With that in mind, San tucks the boy in the bed, leaving him to rest. He exits the room and turns immediately to Maddox.

“He’s just tired and underfed… he’ll need plenty of rest, and water and something easy and plain to eat when he wakes up.”

“Got it. Thank you San.”

“Of course~” And with that (and refusing payment), San leaves the tavern and heads back to his office. Putting everything away, he thinks back on his patient. He hopes the boy will be okay~

Months later, San is still tending to the people of Demni. His last appointment had left for the day and he was finishing up his notes by candlelight - he always preferred candlelight for his night-time work, even if it strained his eyes if he did it for too long. As he finished the last of his notes, he heard a knock at the door. Standing, he walks to the door and opens in a crack, seeing two figures in front of him. They both appeared to be injured, the smaller man leaning against the other.

“I know it’s late… but we could really use some help…” Immediately, San opens the door, ushering the med inside and into chairs. San rushes around, lighting more candles and lanterns for light, and when he turns around, it hits him. He knows the shorter man. He treated him, months ago, back when he had passed out in Maddox’s tavern. Shaking his head, knowing that this was not the time to reminisce, San moves to his equipment, grabbing things he think he’ll need. 

“So, what happened?”

“We were… we were jumped.” The smaller man speaks, wincing and holding onto his side. San watches him carefully, seeing the red stain on his hand and turning to grab some needles and thread.

“Someone thought we were in town for… nefarious reasons and decided to teach us a lesson. We just wanted to visit the tavern owner…” This time, the taller man speaks, looking a little better than the smaller man. “We managed to fend them off, but not without a few scrapes ourselves.”

San nods, now sitting in front of them. “Okay… now that you’ve explained, let’s take a look at injuries.” He looks at the taller man first, knowing his injuries probably aren’t as severe. Which he is correct about. Wanting to get a look at the other, he set the man up with some disinfectant and told him to get to cleaning his wounds.

“I’m San by the way. And you are?”

The smaller man hesitates before introducing himself. “I’m Hongjoong… and this is Seonghwa.” The other man, Seonghwa, nods at San before turning back to his own wounds. 

“Nice to meet you. Hongjoong, you’re going to have to lift your shirt… I need to check that wound on your side.” Hongjoong does as told, wincing as he moves, to reveal the gash on his side. As San works quickly and gently to clean and stitch up the wound, he asks them questions. Who they were, what they were doing, how they knew Maddox. And when Hongjoong told him the story of meeting Maddox, San revealed he had been the doctor to care for him that day. After that, Hongjoong feels more comfortable, sharing stories of their adventures and travels thus far. And San feels intrigued at the idea of traveling… it’s something he’d always wanted to do… and there is another doctor in town…

He finishes patching up the two men, sending them back to the tavern to rest for the night. And San stays up, considering his options…

~

The next morning, San makes his way to the port, a trunk packed at his home and his doctor bag in hand, looking for two particular men. Finally, he spots them on a ship, talking with a crew. He tentatively steps onto the gangplank, walking up until he was standing right next to the ship. Seonghwa sees him first, tapping Hongjoong’s shoulder and pointing him out. They approach him, smiles on their faces. 

“Hi San, what brings you here?” Hongjoong asks with a bright smile - he looks better than he did last night.

“I’m here for two things. I wanted to check on your wounds, and I wanted to ask you a question.”

“Well, let’s check our wounds first then~” Seonghwa leads San to a bench on the deck, the two men sitting down so San can exam them. Everything still looks good, no infection set in, which San told them with a smile.

“Now, you wanted to ask a question?” Hongjoong watches him with curious eyes, unsure of what the doctor wants to ask him.

“Do you have room on your ship for one more?”

Both men look at him with wide eyes, shocked. They certainly weren’t expecting this.

“Why?”

“Well… I’ve always wanted to travel.. And you two, while I don’t know you personally, seem like genuine people. And Maddox always talked about how hard of a worker you were Hongjoong. And I think traveling with you would be fun. So?”  
Hongjoong and Seonghwa look at each other, exchanging looks that they clearly understood. Finally Hongjoong turns to him, a smile on his face. “Well, we have been looking for someone with medical skills to come with us…” He nods at San, who smiles at them in response.

“So… is that all you have?” Seonghwa asks, eying the small bag.

“No… I actually have a trunk packed at my home… and I need my medical supplies too.”

Hongjoong stands, quickly pulling some of the crew over. “We’ll help you get everything you need. And we even have an empty space we were planning to use as an infirmary, that could also be your room for now.” 

San smiles - he’s ready to start this new adventure.


	4. Jongho's Fight

Jongho had been fighting from a very young age. He had to, in order to protect himself and his siblings from the hands of his father… and when his father left one day and never came back, Jongho continued to fight. At the age of 10, Jongho snuck into an underground fighting ring. He’d heard that people could make money fighting, and he hoped he could find a way to support his family now.

“What are you doing here kid?” Jongho looked up from his hiding spot against the wall to see a tall, very muscular man. His eyes went wide - please don’t let this man kick him out, he just needs to know… “Well?”

“I… I just…” He begins to shake in his spot. Please don’t hit me, please don’t hit me…  
The muscular man crouched down in front of the young boy, looking at him curiously. “You don’t look like you belong here… let’s go sit and talk, okay?”

Jongho follows the man to a table in the corner of the room, nervously watching the man who sat across from him. While is muscles and stature were scary, he wasn’t yelling or sneering at the young boy. He was looking at him with concern and curiosity. “Now… why are you here young man? This isn’t the place for a child.” His tone was kind, but Jongho could sense the seriousness behind his words. He decided it was best to be honest.

“I… I wanted to see… see what this was all about...”

“But why?” The man’s eyes widened with concern, but Jongho froze in his seat. He wasn’t sure what to tell this man, this stranger that seemed oddly concerned for him… “Oh… you probably don’t trust me, right? Sorry, I’m Hoseok. I actually run this ring… to help those who need it...better to have organized crime than a complete mess, right?” Hoseok seemed very trusting and open, which confused Jongho. Why would someone involved in criminal behavior be so open and kind to him?

“But… why…?”

Hoseok gave the young man a gentle smile. “I know it’s… confusing. But even though we participate in illegal activity… we take care of each other here. We are all here for a reason, and it’s better for us to stick together and help each other out in some way.” Jongho was still unsure, but spent the rest of the night asking the man questions, feeling more comfortable the longer he talks with him. As the night winds down, Hoseok sends him home with a promise that if he decided to come back, he would teach the young boy how to fight and defend himself and show him the ropes.

That night’s fight was brutal. The man had several inches on Jongho, and quite a few more muscles, but Jongho never backed down from a fight. Ducking and weaving around the larger man, Jongho looked for his openings and striking with force. In the end, Jongho came out on top, breathing heavily as the larger man laid on the floor in front of him. Jongho gave him a small bow of respect before walking away to where he knew Hoseok was waiting for him.

“Great fight tonight Jongho. I knew you could do it.”

“I was taught by the best.” Both men laugh before Hoseok reaches into his pocket, handing him a small pouch. “There’s a little extra in there, since you helped me clean up last week…”

“Hoseok, no, I’ve told you-”

“And I’ve ignored you. I know your siblings moved on… if you don’t feel comfortable then share it with them.” Jongho’s sister had recently moved into another house on the other side of town, his older sister getting married and taking in his younger sibling, leaving Jongho on his own. Of course, he helped his siblings whenever he could, but he liked that he could support himself and do things that he enjoys.

Deciding not to argue with the man he looked up to most, he gave him a quick bow in respect and thanks before waving and walking outside. He slips the pouch into his own pocket before beginning to walk down the street. He had the feeling that someone was walking behind him, but he ignored it - besides his own profession, Demni was relatively safe…

He felt something smash into the back of his head, sending him tumbling to the ground. He only got a quick look at the three men standing over him before they began to beat him, kicking and punching him until he couldn’t move due to the pain. He could feel the men rooting through his pockets, grabbing the pouch of money. He could barely open his eyes, but he saw the men standing above him. “For tonight’s fight.” And with that, the men left, leaving him bloody and bruised in the dirt of the alleyway they had dragged him into.

Hongjoong and Seonghwa walked with San from the ship back to San’s office. Well, his old office. They were going to grab the last of his medical supplies and make sure they hadn’t forgotten anything. San was turning to tell Hongjoong about his first patient on his own when he had taken over the practice when the sight in the nearby alley made him stop in his tracks. 

“San?” Hongjoong looked confused, following his eye line to see a crumpled figure on the ground. Both men rush to the alley, Seonghwa following quickly behind. What they see shocks them all - the young man is bruised on seemingly every part of his body, his skin split in several spots, dried blood around the wounds. The men quickly work together, lifting the man as carefully as they could, carrying him to San’s medical practice. Luckily, it wasn’t too far away.

San quickly cleans the wounds he can see, Seonghwa holding the man up as Hongjoong grabs everything else.

“I won’t be able to treat his wounds here… and I know we were planning to leave today…”

“We’ll bring him back to the ship and treat him there, take all the time you need. A few days won’t hurt us~”

With a nod, San helps Hoongjoong finish packing, grabbing his things before the two men help situate the young man onto Seonghwa’s back to get him to the ship.

Jongho wakes up in an unfamiliar place, the floor seeming to rock underneath him. He tries to sit up but is quickly stopped by a hand on his shoulder. “Hold on, you should take it slow~” Trying not to panic, Jongho turns his head, seeing a young man with a friendly smile in a chair behind him. “I’m San, I’m the doctor on board. We found you in an alleyway pretty beat up… and this was the only place I could take care of you properly.” Jongho watches him carefully, unsure if he should believe him. “Wait, let me go get Hongjoong, he’ll explain.” The man, San, shoots up from his seat and leaves the room, leaving Jongho alone in the nearly empty room. Despite its emptiness, the room is spotlessly clean, several boxes along the wall.   
Maybe they were rearranging?

Just as quickly as he left, San came back, this time with another man in tow. “Hi, I’m Hongjoong.” The shorter man holds out his hand for Jongho to shake, which he takes carefully. “Here, let’s sit you up, and then we can answer your questions.”

Once Jongho is in a seated position, he looks up at the two men opposite him. “Where am I?” Slowly, the two men explain that Jongho is now on a treasure hunter’s ship, that Hongjoong is the captain, San is their new doctor, and Seonghwa, the other man that had helped carry him to the ship, was Hongjoong’s second in command. They were about to leave for Galinia, the northern port city and royal court, to see if there were treasure hunting jobs there.

Jongho sits in silence, considering everything they had just told him. And he knew his first thought seemed crazy - he had just met these men, but the thought overtook his mind. 

“You guys… you go out on adventures?” Hongjoong nods, watching the young man with curious eyes. “I know I have no right to ask, but could I… could I travel with you? It would be my way of paying you back for your kindness…” 

Hongjoong smiled, seeming to understand something that Jongho hasn’t said. “You don’t need to pay us back, but adventuring with friends is always more fun~”

Hongjoong’s kindness astounded Jongho, but he was ready and excited for this new start.


	5. Yunho's Flight

Yunho had always lived in Galinia, specifically in the palace as a member of the royal court. His family had served the royal family for centuries, and it was expected that Yunho would follow in their footsteps… but he always longed for something more…

~

When he was ten, most of Yunho’s day was spent either running around the palace and court, or spending time with the member of the royal family he was tasked with serving as a page - the oldest prince, who was only a year older than Yunho. Most of Yunho’s messages consisted of updates on the prince’s progress in his lessons and training, with the occasional argument against certain royal functions (the prince hated going to balls and did his best to get out of them). When he got tired of dashing back and forth, Yunho would often rest on one of the parapets on the palace walls. Not only was the air clear and fresh up there, but Yunho could also clearly see the ocean.

He had always been fascinated by the ocean beyond the palace. It seemed so big, so… endless. He wanted to see all of the places the ocean touched. He would imagine sailing on one of the big ships that came to the port, using a telescope and map to explore the vast blue in front of him. But he would always be shaken out of his daydream with a shout of his name, a reminder that he needed to do his job… But it never truly stopped him dreaming of traveling and exploring. If only he could get away… With a sigh, Yunho turned away from the water, heading back to the monotony of the royal court.

~

Yunho spent the majority of his day by the prince’s side, not only acting as his page, but also as his friend of sorts. Of course, they couldn’t really be friends, being of different social classes. But they did look after each other. And the prince was always nice to Yunho, letting his join in his training sessions and even some of his academic lessons. It was unusual for a page, but Yunho enjoyed it. He’s always been inquisitive and eager to learn, so he appreciated the opportunity.

While Yunho did enjoy learning new things in terms of academics, he really enjoyed the training sessions he was allowed to join the prince in. Ranging from archery to hand-to-hand combat, Yunho was able to learn different fighting techniques and even how to use them. He was the prince’s favorite sparring partner, and when he was training and Yunho wasn’t running messages back and forth, they were always training and sparring together. The prince always told him it was because he needed someone to spar with, but Yunho liked to think that they were sort of friends, and he liked to have someone else his age around. With all the training he was doing, Yunho got rather good, even beating the prince a few times (although he never told anyone about that). 

After a full day of accompanying the prince to his different lessons and training, on top of running messages all across the palace and court, Yunho was exhausted. But he always spent his free time pouring over maps. His dream of one day exploring the sea never left, but he was always too busy during the day to even stop and look at the ocean over the parapet walls, let alone daydream about them. So instead, Yunho spent his nights studying maps about the oceans around the port, the currents observed, the lands that the sea touched, any landmarks that seemed to appear in the middle of the sea of blue.   
He wanted to know everything he could about the ocean and sailing, so he stayed up late into the night, reading his maps and books he’d found in the castle’s library. And even though he would wake up tired, it was all worth it to him.

~

The older Yunho got, the more bored with his daily tasks he got. Sure, running around the palace and court and talking to people almost all day was okay - he loved being around people. But he never got to do anything. And that’s really what we wanted. He wanted to do something, make a name for himself, enjoy an adventure in his life. And he wanted that adventure on the sea.

One evening, he was making his way back to the prince’s quarters, a message in hand from one of his father’s advisors, when he decided to take one of the pathways he hardly took anymore - a cut-through on the parapets. And he couldn’t help himself, slowing down in the middle of the wall to turn and look out at the ocean. It was still just as expansive and vibrant as it was when he was a boy. He could even see the boats in the port, and one ship that looked familiar… It was a newer ship, only having come to the port in the last few years, but Yunho already knew it was a beautiful, well-kept ship. He also knew the crew was younger, having seen them when he accompanied the prince into the surrounding city. He wondered what it would be like to travel the oceans with people his own age…

“You should go… if you want.”

Yunho whipped his head around to see the prince standing next to him, looking out over the sea in the same direction Yunho had. “But.. but your highness-”

The prince turned to him, looking him seriously in the eye. “Yunho, I know you don’t want to live your life in the royal court. And one of us should get to live out our dreams of adventure…” He gave Yunho a soft smile before turning back to look out at the ocean. Yunho was stunned. He couldn’t believe the man he basically served was telling him to run away from the only life he had ever known… When Yunho didn’t reply, the prince turned back to face him.

“I’ll cover for you, don’t worry. I actually already have a plan to get you out. You’ll just need to pack your things.” With a few moments of consideration, Yunho nodded, causing the prince to smile before turning around, leading Yunho back to his quarters. Yunho was quick to pack his belongings (not that there were many), and the two boys went over how Yunho would gain his freedom...

~

Leaving the court was a lot easier than Yunho had anticipated, and he was now wandering along the port, making his way towards the ship that intrigued him the most. He hoped that some of the crew members were nearby so he could ask to speak to the captain. Lucky for him, as he was walking towards the ship, he could see the members of the crew he had seen earlier, with two new people with them. He hoped they would be kind and let him meet the captain…

“Excuse me?” He rushes up to them, watching as the four young men stopped and watch him approach. “Are you… do you know the Captain of the Illusion? Could you introduce me?”

The shorter man in front looked up at him, a little confused. The taller man behind him looked wary, worried about the captain that Yunho didn’t know.

“Ummm… I’m the Captain… can I help you?”

“Oh thank god!” Yunho almost bounced in excitement. “I was actually wondering if I could join your crew?”

The four men stand there in shock. Is this tall boy for real? “You… you want to join us?”

“Of course! I’ve always wanted to travel the seas and explore… that’s what you do, right?”

The captain looks back at his other crew members, and Yunho watched as the two shorter ones just shrugged at him, while the taller one never took his eyes off of Yunho. Finally, the captain turned back to him. 

“Why don’t we talk back on the ship, okay?”

“Okay!” Yunho eagerly follows behind the four boys, almost vibrating in excitement.

While sitting in the captain’s quarters with Hongjoong, the captain, and Seonghwa, his second-in-command, Yunho told them about how he worked in the royal court as a page since he was a young boy, how he had studied maps and books since he was young, that he had been training with the prince as his sparring partner. 

Seonghwa still seemed wary of him, but was impressed when he was able to read one of their maps correctly and navigate a hypothetical trip to the three lower port cities. Hongjoong seemed... excited to have another member of his new crew, and he wished Yunho the best as they figured out his place on the crew. Yunho was excited to find his new place, make new friends with the… with his crew. He was ready for adventure


	6. Wooyoung's Altercation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: there is an attack on a main character and he gets beat up

Wooyoung had always lived in the port town of Askia, growing up in his parent’s tavern. And he absolutely loved it. Everyone in town knew who he was, watching him grow up from the small child drawing in the corner to a young man helping run his family business by cleaning tables and serving drinks. Ever since he was little, Wooyoung treated every customer that walked through the doors with a smile and kindness, and he usually got that in return. There were always some customers who were in a mood, but Wooyoung always shook it off. He was just happy that he could be helping others as well as his family.

Because Askia was the port town that was closest to Satren, the poorest city in the kingdom, there were a lot of traders, sailors, and even pirates that came through their port. This meant that these people needed places to stay and eat while in port, and Wooyoung’s family’s tavern was the perfect place for travelers to relax, eat a good meal, and get some rest. And Wooyoung’s family accepted most travelers, including pirates who came to port. And there had been more than one occasion where a fight had broken out between townspeople and the incoming travelers. Wooyoung’s father, who was a large, rather intimidating man with a soft heart, was quick to break up the fights and separate the parties involved, solving the problem before it became anything big. But there was always tension in the air whenever locals and traveling pirates were in tavern together.

Wooyoung could remember one time when he was quite young, maybe six years old, when he had been standing on a stool behind the tavern’s bar, helping his mother wash the flagons they used to serve customers while his father was out back, taking a quick break from the bar and the heat of the kitchen. One moment, the tavern was filled with raucous laughter, the next, a group of townsfolk was standing up, shouting at a group of pirates who were sitting at a table against the wall. One of the pirates stood, his hand going to his sword, right at Wooyoung’s father walked back behind the bar. With a shout, he made everyone in the tavern stand still, watching him as he walked over and sorted out the situation. Wooyoung had never seen his father yell like that, and he hoped that he wouldn’t have to again. It wasn’t that his father scared him or anything, he just hoped people would be able to get along and get over and deal with these prejudices against people like pirates… 

Wooyoung sighed thinking back on the situation. He may have hoped for that at six, but he still had that hope now, even if his wish hadn’t come true. There was another reason Wooyoung wanted this prejudice against pirates to go away - he had a secret desire to travel, to see the world, and to find amazing treasure. He had been listening to pirate and treasure hunter stories since he was a kid, and they had always fascinated him. The way these crews worked together, lived together, and traveled together, it reminded him of his own family and the tavern in a way. And he longed for the day that he would get the opportunity to travel.

When Wooyoung was older, he took notice of a very young pirate crew that came to the tavern to eat. He knew they were the crew of the ship Illusion, and that the captain was really young, but no one else in town seemed to know anything about them. The five young men seemed to keep to themselves most of the time, politely smiling and bowing at those who talked to them. He thought this crew was… different from the usual crews that came into port, and hoped that maybe they would come to the tavern… his family was known for treating crews with respect…

Wooyoung was in luck when the Illusion crew walked into the tavern that evening, smiling at Wooyoung greeted them from behind the bar before walking to a table against the wall. The young men sat together, chatting and laughing as they were served. Wooyoung watched them as he served drinks at the bar, cleaning as people got up and left when they were done. He wished he could join them, be able to talk with people his own age… To at least make sure he can talk to them (so that maybe when they come back to port some time, he’d have someone to talk to), he did make sure to bring them a round of drinks. 

“Thank you so much!” The man that Wooyung had figured out was the captain smiled up at him. 

“It’s no problem, I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Wooyoung, my family runs the tavern… and if anyone gives you trouble just let me know.”

“Oh that’s really nice-”

“What do you mean, trouble?” The taller man with a chiseled jaw interrupted the captain, watching Wooyoung carefully.

“Oh, it’s just that sometimes, townsfolk aren’t always the nicest… we like to make sure that everyone who comes here is treated nicely and with respect.”

“Oh…” the man nods slightly, his eyes softening as he continues to watch Wooyoung.

“Anyway… enjoy your drinks!” And with that, Wooyoung practically skips behind the bar. He could feel the stares of the pirate crew he had just left behind, but there were some other unfriendly stares as well. But he wasn’t going to let that bother him. Askians knew how his family felt about their tavern andd the guests they had. They would respect that.  
Wooyoung had not expected that those Askians that had been staring at him to wait until closing, hiding behind the back of the tavern when he was closing up the kitchen and dumping scraps out for the stray animals to eat.

“You were awful friendly with those pirates boy… and that just won’t do.”

“Yea, scum like that shouldn’t be coming into town at all…”

Wooyoung opened his mouth, ready to respond and defend his family’s decision, but he didn’t even get the chance. The two men had been standing behind him, stalking towards him until they pounced, jumping on him with hands flying. Wooyoung didn’t have the time to try and defend himself, only able to yell as they began to hit him. He tried raising his hands, only to have them pushed away, a fist hitting his cheek hard. His cry was knocked out of him as he was hit in the stomach. As Wooyoung went down, he was able to watch between the feet of his attackers, seeing some familiar figures walk by, then seemingly turn around and run towards him. But he didn’t get to see much else, his vision going black.

The Illusion crew had left the tavern earlier that night, having gone to walk around the town a little bit before heading back to the ship. Their route back brought them past the tavern again, and when they heard grunting and the sound of skin hitting skin, they could tell something was off. Looking at each other, they all turned around and ran towards the sounds, making out two men standing over-

“Wooyoung!” Seonghwa’s shout surprises Hongjoong, since he had seemed so protective earlier, but now he was running towards the young man who was being beaten. The rest of the crew rush over, quickly pulling the two men off of Wooyoung and restraining them. San is quick to run to Wooyoung’s side, worried about the young man and the injuries he must have sustained. When the culprits were taken care of (tied up with a spare rope and left on the street and knocked out), the boys quickly ran back to San and Wooyoung, who’s eyes were closed, his breath shallow. “I need to get him somewhere where I can lay him down…”

San trailed off as the back door of the tavern opened, a large man walking out. “Wooyoung wasn’t ba-” He stopped, seeing the man on the ground, surrounded by some of the pirates that had been in the tavern earlier. “What happened?”

San spoke up. “He was attacked. We were walking back to the ship when we heard…”

“The scum are tied up in the street.” Yunho cuts in, standing tall, almost reaching the other man’s height.

The man watches them carefully before gesturing him inside. “Bring him in. You might as well bring him to his own bed. We’ll have to call for the doctor-”

“I’m a doctor, sir, I can patch him up!” San pipes in quickly, knowing Wooyoung would need immediate care. The man nods, gesturing for Yunho to hold the door open while he moves to pick up Wooyoung. The group walks inside, following the tall man with Wooyoung into the private side of the tavern, where the owner’s family lived. They walked into Wooyoung’s room, the man (who they assumed was the owner and the young man’s father) placing Wooyoung on his bed before turning to San. 

“Is there anything you need?”

“Any sort of medical supplies you have…”

“We can run to the ship to grab your bag, San.” Jongho, who is standing by the door, states quietly.

“We should be fine Jongho, but thank you. I just want to make sure these bruises get some cool compresses… and that these cuts get disinfected.”

“I’ll grab our supplies.” Wooyoung’s father walks out of the room, returning quickly with bandages and other supplies. San quickly gets to work patching up the injured man while the others watched anxiously. Finally, San had finished wrapping up his wounds, turning around to face everyone.

“He’ll be okay, just needs some rest.”

“Thank you so much, I really appreciate it.”

“Of course, we were happy to help.” Hongjoong gives the owner a small smile before leading his crew back outside and to the ship.

The next afternoon, Wooyoung woke up, sore, but well enough. His father filled him in on what happened, leaving Wooyoung feeling grateful for the pirates he had met the day before. Even though he was feeling sore, he really wanted to thank them… and ask them an important question.

After talking with his family, Wooyoung left the tavern, a bag over his shoulder as he walked slowly towards the port. He really hoped the ship was still there.

He was lucky that the ship was still there, and one of the crew members he saw yesterday was there too. “Excuse me?”

The tall man looked up, smiling down at him. “Hey, you’re from the tavern, right?”

“Yea, I was wondering if I could talk to your captain?”

“Sure, come on up!” Wooyoung carefully walked up the gangplank as the young man ran off to grab the captain. The shorter man from the night before came up to the deck, smiling as he saw Wooyoung. “Wooyoung, you’re up and walking! How are you feeling?”

“Feeling okay, as good as one can feel… but I actually wanted to ask you a question…”

Chuckling, the captain looked at him with amusement. “You want to join us?”

“How did you know?” Wooyoung stares at him in shock.

“Well… you’re carrying a bad that seems to have a lot of clothes in it…”

“Oh… yea… well that was my question. I’m a good cook, I can make sure everyone is well-fed!”

The captain chuckles, holding out a hand to Wooyoung. “Well, welcome to the crew Wooyoung, I’m your captain, Hongjoong.”


	7. Yeosang's Escape

“Hand over the boy.”

Yeosang stood by his parent’s side, thinking about how they had even gotten into this situation. His younger brother, while running errands for his parents, getting some simple supplies for the farm, had seen a shiny gem in the grass and had picked it up, bringing it home with him. Well, this group of pirates, who were all tall and hulking, had “apparently” been looking for this exact gem, and when they saw a young boy pick it up and take it home, had decided to follow him home and demand both the gem and the boy from his family. 

Yeosang looked up at the three pirates who were now standing in his home, leering at his parent’s. They were trying to intimidate and scare them, and Yeosang was not having it. He may be young but he believed in fairness, and none of this was fair. But he wasn’t about to allow his brother, his younger brother, to be taken away from his family…

Yeosang took a step, now standing in front of his parents. “Leave my brother alone.”

“Ahhh so the fairy boy speaks.” He hated the insult. He knew he didn’t look like the other boys in town, but a fairy? The way this pirate said it was almost like the way the other boys in town said it, a way to insult him and cut him down. But there was another undertone that made Yeosang nervous… but he wouldn’t give up. His brother would not be going with these men.

“Leave him alone. He’s not going with you.”

“Yeosang, stop, please.” His mother pleaded with him, grabbing his arm to try and pull him back, but Yeosang didn’t move.   
He wasn’t afraid, not really.

“You know what, let’s make a deal. I’ll leave your brother alone, fairy boy. But only if you’re the one to come with us instead.” Yeosang can hear his parent’s gasps behind him, but he pushes them out of his mind. This was about saving his brother. If this is what he had to do…

Yeosang gave the tall pirate a slight nod, watching as the man leered at him again before reaching for his arm. His grip was tight as he yanked Yeosang to his side.

“Thank you kindly.” The pirate mockingly bows to his parents, as if he isn’t stealing their son from them, before he drags Yeosang out of the house and away from all he had ever known.

Yeosang’s time on the pirate ship was...hard. He was basically their slave, doing all of the cooking and cleaning on the ship, being forced to do anything the pirates wished. He was mistreated, beaten, hardly fed, and made to sleep on the cold floor. His life was hard, but he wasn’t about to give up. He was here to protect his family - that gave him enough strength to keep going. Some nights, Yeosang would sneak up to the deck at night, sitting in the stairwell to the rest of the ship as he looked up at the stars. They comforted him, gave him hope, and made him feel less alone. He would make it through this, somehow…

Yeosang wasn’t sure how much time had passed - the pirates kept him in the dark about time, years could have passed and he wouldn’t know. He certainly felt older - he was taller now - but there was no way of knowing how old he was now, how long he had been held captive…

He was startled awake by a loud crash and the quaking of the ship underneath him. It was as if they had been hit…

“It’s Illusion! Those bastards-” Yeosang heard the shout from the deck before it was drowned out by gunfire. Yeosang froze from his place on the floor. He had heard of Illusion - another pirate ship that the captain hated. Why were they attacking? Why were they here? Maybe they had heard of the pirates stealing priceless artifacts from different port cities? Or maybe they had heard about him, the slave of the ship? Slavery wasn’t something tolerated in his homeland, maybe they would rescue him? Just maybe…

Yeosang had little time to hope as gunfire seemed to ring out closer and closer to his spot near the captain’s quarters. He saw the captain of the ship running towards him, probably going to grab his weaponry. The man disappeared into his quarters, reappearing with a gun in hand before stopping, staring down at Yeosang. He could hear the fighting on the deck above, but Yeosang was much more scared of the man in front of him. With a nasty grin, he reached for Yeosang, dragging him to stand in front of him, almost like… like a shield? The captain walked, with Yeosang still in front of him, up the steps and onto the main deck. It was absolute chaos. Some men were lying on the deck unmoving, still others were battling away. 

But when the captain emerged with Yeosang, a man that Yeosang didn’t recognize shouted, causing the Illusion pirates to slow down their attack to a halt, ready to pounce on the pirate crew in front of them. The captain keeps Yueosang in front of him, his gun pointed at the “enemy” crew. He didn’t say a word, just walked over to the dingy boat on the side of the ship. Yeosang looks around, his eyes wide. He DID NOT want to be on a small boat with this Captain, he did not want to be in this situation. He needed to get out of here…

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees someone unfamiliar, someone who must be from the Illusion crew, who seemed to be trying to tell him something… He was motioning towards the deck several times, watching Yeosang with a look of urgency before he spread out his hand, holding up five fingers and slowly lowering them. He was counting down. He was telling Yeosang to drop.

When all of the man’s fingers were down, Yeosang dropped, throwing himself on the deck as one single gunshot rang out. Yeosang heard and felt the Captain behind him drop with a dull thud. Yeosang closes his eyes, not wanting to see anything going on around him anymore. He’d had enough violence for one day. Yeosang can hear the footsteps of many people now walking around, some shouting from the ship’s crew, but he pays attention to the footsteps that are getting closer to him. 

The person stops right in front of him, gently reaching out to touch his shoulder. “Let’s get you out of here, hm?” Yeosang looked up to see the man that had helped him, the one who had told him to drop to the deck. He nodded, using the man’s arm to get on his feet again. He was a little shaky, using the other man to keep himself steady as they walked to the side of the ship and carefully moved across wooden boards between the ships. He was lead onto the Illusion ship, all while the man helping him told him that he would be taken care of here, that slavery was wrong and he couldn’t believe he had been treated that way, that if he wanted to stay, he would never be treated that way again…

Yeosang is lead to a cot and sits down, finally looking up at the ship he is now on. It’s clean and rather bright, giving off the feeling of home and safety, rather than cold fear like the ship he had just left. The man before him gave him a gentle smile, immediately putting Yeosang at ease. “I’m Jongho, and this-” he gestures to a man behind him, who had just walked up with a worried expression “is Wooyoung. Welfare here to help you, okay?” Wooyoung nods, handing a blanket to Jongho, who wraps it around Yeosang’s shoulders. The two men watched over Yeosang until the other crew members made their way aboard. 

“The other ship is taken care of, we’ll lead them to port and get authorities involved… don’t groan, I know you don’t like them Jongho.” A shorter man walks up to them, crouching down so he is a little bit below Yeosang. “I’m Hongjoong, Captain of The Illusion… I’d like to have our doctor, San, take a look at you, make sure you’re all right before we figure out the next steps, okay?” Yeosang can’t do anything but nod, standing as a new man, who he assumed was San, smiled and lead him down to a small room that looked like a doctor’s office. After he gets a few scrapes cleaned and bandaged, and San tells him he needs to eat more (which… he knows), San leads him back to the deck and to the Captain.

“Ah, you’re back! I’m afraid we never got your name, in all the rush to make sure you were okay…”

“I’m… I’m Yeosang.” He’s hesitant, unsure of what these men, who had taken care of him, would do. Would they let him go? Or make him serve them, just like his previous crew?

“Yeosang, okay, nice to meet you. Well, needless to say, you are no longer a servant of that crew… so it is your choice as to what you’d like to do. We’d be more than happy to get you back to land, and-”

“Can I… Can I stay?” Hongjoong almost looks shocked, pausing before speaking again. 

“You know we aren’t going to force you to stay, right?”

“No, I know… I just… I feel like I owe you all for saving me… and I honestly don’t know what I’d do back on land. I don’t remember where my family is from, so I’d have no way of finding them… I don’t even know what happened to them…

Hongjoong’s smile is gentle as he takes a step to Yeosang, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Well, you are more than welcome to stay with us.”

Yeosang smiles, feeling safe for the first time in a while. Everything would be okay. He could feel it.

**Author's Note:**

> Who do you think you'll meet next?


End file.
